3/30/2017

I use Pidgin on my computers. It’s cross platform, multi-protocol and supports encrypted messaging via plugins. I use it along with the Openfire XMPP collaboration server to communicate intraoffice and more recently interoffice for collaboration with our tax office associates and our outside tax partners. I insist on encrypted communications to protect client information even though specific information such as social security numbers, etc is never transmitted across the internet. I do this because I’m paranoid about information leaking, I insist that we jealously guard our client information even more than if were our own, and lastly, because the FTC and IRS insist we do so. More on encryption, perhaps, at a future time.
The last few times I’ve fired up Pidgin on my Linux machine, I’ve received the following notice:

yahoomessenger: Yahoo Messenger has been upgraded and no longer works with older versions or third party applications. To continue using Yahoo Messenger, please download the newest version at https://messenger.yahoo.com/download

Click the link and I find:

YAHOO MESSENGER.
YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND.

Get the brand new Yahoo Messenger, now available as a desktop app.

Yahoo Messenger requires Mac OS X 10.9 / Windows 7 or later

Now available as a desktop app? This whole let’s call a program an app now crap really annoys me. But I think I remember that Yahoo tried to move everyone to a web based client by discontinuing their standalone application/program. Well, I only have one remaining contact who uses/used to use Yahoo Messenger. And he’s on LinkedIn and Facebook and I have his cell number. What do I need an aging protocol backed by a company that’s selling out to Verizon for? And 500 million Russian compromised accounts. The latest version of Pidgin also removed the protocol:

Pidgin 2.12.0 removed protocols that were not being maintained: MSN, MySpace, Mxit, and Yahoo!. These will show up as unknown in your account lists until you delete them.

AIM is not breaking, update to this version to keep it working!

(and did I mention I use Linux?)
Oh well, no big loss. If we used to communicate via Yahoo Messenger you should have another way to get in touch. If not, I guess we were never that close.Click on delete account in Pidgin